There Are Chords in the Hearts of the Most Reckless Which Cannot be Touched...

Araby's journey has only just begun. Her father created the masks to keep the contagion out, but he also was responsible for releasing the Red Death, Will, the boy who made her feel again, betrayed her, her mother has been kidnapped by the Prince, and her best friend, April, is dying. But, Araby has discovered this life is worth living, as long as there is something to fight for.
On their journey back to the city, Araby, Elliot, and Will begin searching for her father in hopes that he can reverse the contagion for April and the city. Throughout their journey, Elliot begins to put together troops of his own in order to overthrow the Prince and save the city. Though these boys have both left scars on her heart, Araby is drawn to them both in such different ways.
Their journey brings them through tunnels filled with death, streets where contagion, the Red Death, and murders lurk, and finally, to a masquerade ball where Araby must make a decision that could result in a horrible death. Throughout the journey, Araby uses her anger, her bravery, and the love for her family to push forward, but is she ready to unleash something inside herself that could distort the image she's grown used to for so long?

Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin is the sequel to Masque of the Red Death. This novel, much like the first, did not leave readers with hopes of a better story. This was the better story. Picking up where Griffin left off, we are reunited with Araby, our heroine. These two novels show a drastic change in the main character: In Masque..., Araby needs to find a reason to breath, but in Dance..., she is determined to fight the disease and the Prince.
The reader can truly see a character who has hit rock bottom, but her climb to the top is the reason we read on. She has taken herself from a character who was continually drugged at the Debauchery Club in order to forget her past, to a female lead who doesn't need the boys to save her. And who doesn't like that?
Griffin's writing is the other part of the story that is just so delicious. Each word, each sentence, is so carefully constructed, and the writing just adds to the depth of the story. The story doesn't just revolve around the Araby, Elliot, Will love triangle; the story focuses on a time where people are dying from the contagion and the Red Death and no one has the power to stop it, but it will be these three that are forced to work together in order to bring the city back to life. Elliot's goal: to overthrow the Prince so he can pay for his crimes, but this means forming an army of men who would be willing to go against the city's control. Araby's mission: to find her father so he can reverse the contagion for her friend, but also to find her mother and bring her home safe. And Will, he's along to provide assistance to both with his array of skills, but also, he wants to keep Araby safe.

What I enjoyed the most was Araby's development. Although some things were a little too convenient, Araby's strength was not one of them. I could feel her turmoil, her anxiety, and her hesitation with certain tasks. She didn't become a strong heroine overnight, but each chapter brings her closer to finding how strong she truly is. And, because of her past, readers have an easier time relating to her emotions.

There were slow points in the story, there were times when it was a little too confusing, and there were times when certain tasks tied together a little too well. However, you read this story for the characters and for the overall theme, which is survival. I favorited this series on my shelfari because it is something I would return to again. This is one of those great dystopian societies where the decisions people make can be just as ugly as the disease itself.

The "Red Death" had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous.

Araby sees death and disease everywhere. The plague has infected hundreds and whipped out much of the town. Her father, the scientist who created the masks to protect them, is so wrapped up in his work he barely notices her existence. Her mother is still deeply broken from the death of her twin brother, Finn. Being from a higher social class, Araby and her friend, April, spend much of their nights at the Debauchery Club. Filled with beautiful clothes, glittery make-up, and many different substances that can help them forget the horrors of the outside world.
Through Araby's numbness and sorrow, she will discover pieces of a different world. She finds Will, a club worker who has a secret or two he keeps behind his mask. And she will discover Elliot, April's older brother, who despite his dark and mysterious outside has a few tricks he has kept hidden.
Her journey provides her with reasons to look beyond the hopelessness, and maybe have something to live and fight for again.

Being a fan of Poe, I read the summary of Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin on shelfari and found it interesting. Once a few authors I am familiar with gave their five star reviews, I knew I had to immediately check it out. I was not at all disappointed.
Poe's Red Death was horrifyingly real. Griffin makes this story the same. In a world of disease and sadness, how is it possible to be happy and stable? Araby is a great character because she's given up. With a failed suicide attempt, she feels stuck, and as if her parents would rather have her brother and her switch places. She feels hopeless and alone. The Club her and April attend is a picture perfect way out. The scene is very posh, only for the elite crowd, and it is a great escape from the outside. Will and Elliot prove to be important pieces in Araby's life. Each boy is the complete opposite of each other, yet they are so similar it is striking. The love aspect is nice, yet, not the main focus of the novel.
The writing was truly "hauntingly beautiful". It painted a picture of a city in termoil and no form of science has been able to break through. It is amazing to see the inventions and science that goes into this world, yet nothing seems able to compete with the disease proving to take out mass amounts of people.
 I also liked how the author included James Joyce into the novel by using "Araby" as the main character's name. His short short story, "Araby", had the main theme of loss of innocence, and this is exactly the way to describe Araby in Griffin's Masque of the Red Death. Clearly, the author put a lot of thought into her characters and her theme, and this is very reassuring to readers. 
 I loved this book! Really great and a different take on Poe's classic. I absolutely recommend it. It will not disappoint. :) Look forward to a sequel to follow.